Electric starter for motors, alternating or direct current.



G. B. PINKERTON & A. E. WASON. ELECTRIC STARTER FOR MOTORS, ALTBBNATING 0B. DIRECT 0831mm.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1.31, 1913.

Patented July 21, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG.2.

G. B. PINKERTON & A. E. WASON. ELECTRIC STARTER FOB. MOTORS, ALTEBNATING 0R DIRECT CURRENT.

APPLICATION FILED 001 .31, 1913.

1,104,758- Patented July .21, 19

F, 4 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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11 w lll 17 14 I8 16 15 o is r 7 z zflz zeks'seks' I l I flizarksBga f eifzz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'CHARLES B. PINKERTON AND ALFRED E. 'W'ASON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC STARTER FOR MOTORS, ALTERNATING OR DIRECT CURRENT.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES BENJAMIN PINKERTON, electrician, and ALFRED ERNEST WASON, boot manufacturer, subjects of the King of Great Britain, the former residing at Queens road, Plaistow, London, England, the latter at 47 The Grove, Mare street, Hackney, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Electric Starters for Motors, Alternating or Direct Current, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric starters for alternating and direct current motors and has for its object the combining and arranging of the main switch, fuses, rheostat, starting switch, and other usual fittings in a single casing or frame, so that only one manipulation is required for the operator to switch on the current from the main and start the motor without fear of damage or danger through carelessness or ignorance. The electrical connections between the various parts being already made in the inclosed mechanism, the connections of the main to the starter and the starter to the motor may be readily and easily accomplished. 7

According to this invention, the spindle of the front starting lever, which carries the external starting handle passes through the two insulation panels and has fixed on its end means for operating a double-pole switch attached to the back panel. The rheostat is arranged between the two panels and the two fuses are located in separate boxes one at each side of the casing or frame, while the usual electro-magnet for retaining the starting lever, over-load electromagnet, and other appurtenances are provided within the casing or frame and connected in the circuits.

. An electric starter according to the invention is] illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the example-shownbeing adapt ed for alternating current and for low power motors. I

Figure 1 is a front view with the front removed and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the starter. Fig. 3 represents a simple Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 31, 1913.

switch of the knife description.

Patented July 21, 1914. Serial No. 798,534.

form of double-pole wipe or brush main switch as seen by viewing the back of the starter. Fig. 4 is a similar rear view of the back panel showing a double-pole main Fig. 5 is a similar rear view showing another form of main switch. Fig. 6 is diagram of the clrcuits and connections wlthln the casing.

a is a casing or frame of cast iron or other suitable material provided with a removable front a and back a 7) is the front insulation panel (such as slate, fiber, or ebonite), c is the back insulation panel, and 11 represents the rheostat; (Z, c are the two fuse boxes, each being provided with terminals and fuse and with a door d, 6 respectively capable of being sealed. The casing or frame a may be fixed in position by any suitable means, that shown consisting of flanges f with slots f to receive screws 'for attachment to a wall.

9 is a starting lever fixed to a spindle h which passes through both panels I) and 0, suitable bushes being provided in the panels forthe spindle. The rear end of the spindle it has fixed thereon a means for operating a main switch (which may be of any convenient or suitable description) and for conducting the current to the starting lever. Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the main switch comprises contacts 2', 7c and Z, a metal brush m in electrical contact with the spindle h, and a metal brush a capable of bridging across the contacts 2', 70 but incapable of carrying the current to the spindle. For this purpose, the brush n is attached to a piece of insulating material n, such as fiber, which is attached to the metal boss 0 by a metal arm 0 to which it is screwed, the other metal arm 0 of the boss having the brush m directly fixed thereto. Hence, the first movement of the starting lever simultaneously operates the main switch.

As stated above, any suitable description of main switch may be adopted, but it is essential that the spindle it must form one pole thereof in order that it may conduct the current to the starting lever g. In Fig. 4, a pivoted knife 3) and a parallel linked knife r are shown arranged to make contact with the p clip terminals 79 and 1" respectively, but in some cases they may both be pivoted or both linked. The spindle it has fixed thereon a metal boss formed with a metal cam s, which is always in contact with the metal knifehol'der p and an arm or plate 8 which carries a cam 8 formed of insulating material, such as fiber. The first movement of the starting lever 9 causes the cams to thrust their respective knives into the clips and thus switch on the current, and the cam s conducts the current from the knife 1) to the spindle. In Fig. 5 a pinion t is employed to actuate the knives by means of racks the pinion being in electrical connection with the spindle. The knife u is always in electrical connection with the pinion t, but the knife u is carried on an insulating bar 6; both knives u u are arranged to slide in guides u carried on the insulation panel, and the clip terminals are made, of suflicient length to accommodate the full motion of the knives. For high power motors a solenoid double-pole switch, or othersuitable switch, may be adopted instead of those shown; also a slip-ring short circuiting device may be added, the studs of the starting resistance being fixed in the panel I; and the successive contacts made therewith by means of an arm fixed to the spindle in or integral with the starting lever 9, but extending from the opposite side of the spindle It.

The front panel I; carries the electro-magnet 1) for retaining the starting lever g, and an insulated push 'v or other device may be fitted with a metal disk or bar to short circuit the magnet 02 by electrically connecting the two studs c '0 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) arranged in the magnet circuit and thus liberate the starting lever which flies back and cuts ofi the current. It will be understood that for alternating current the core and pole pieces of the magnet 02 are made of laminated iron. The over-load magnet and other customary fittings are omitted from the drawings, but are provided as in starting switches of usual construction.

It will be understood that the starter may be modified as is well known for use with direct or continuous current.

The circuit connections within the casing or frame are indicated in the diagram shown in Fig. 6. 1, 2 are the terminals within the casing to which the main leads 3, 4, are connected. The current passes from terminals 1 by conductor 5 to the contact Z of the main switch which is shown at the commencement of its forward movement with the brush m i contact with contact Z. The current passes @Erougt the spindle h to the lever g, thence t laugh contact 7 and conductor 8 to terminal 9 for connection to starting circuit. A part of the current also passes through contact 10, rheostat 11, to the contact 12,

thence through the fuse 13, retaining electro-magnet coil 4) and conductor 14 to the terminal 15 for connection to the full charge circuit. The terminal 16 is connected to the main circuit from the motor, and is connected by conductor 17 to the overload coil 18, (if used) the current passing through fuse 19 to the contact k by bridge brush n to contact 2' and thence to terminal 2, and main lead 4. The change over" position of the lever g to contact 12 and the circuit then established is well known and requires no further description.

We claim 1. A starter for electric motors com rising, in combination, a starting switch aving a movable contact member, a doublepole main switch having a movable contact member, and a spindle common to both switches, said spindle forming electrical connection between the movable contact mem ber of the starting switch and the movable contact member for one pole of the main switch whereby electrical current is conducted to the starting switch.

2. A starter forelectric motors, comprising a casing divided into compartments by front and back insulating panels, a starting switch arranged on the front panel, a rheostat located behind said front panel, a main switch on the back panel, a spindle mechanically and electrically connecting the lever of the starting switch with a lever of the main switch, and electric circuits and connections within the casing providing two terminals for connection to the main lea and three terminals for connection to the motor leads.

3. A starter for electric motors, comprising a casing divided into compartments b front and back insulating panels, a box wit a seal door at each side of said casing! fuse in each box, a removable front to said casing, a removable back to said casing, 21 starting switch arranged on the front panel, a rheostat located behind said front panel, a main switch on the back panel, a spindle mechanically and electrically connecting the lever of the starting switch with a lever of the main switch, and electric circuits and connections within the casing providing two terminals for connection to the main leads and three terminals for connection to the motor leads.

4. A starter for electric motors, comprising a casing divided into compartments b front and back insulatin panels, a box' Wit a seal door at each side 0 said casing, a fuse in each box, a removable front to said cas ing, a removable back to said casing, a starting switch arranged on the front panel, It rheostat located behind said front anel, a hand-operated short-circuiting device for the retaining magnet circuit, a main switch on the back panel, a spindle mechanically and electrically connecting the lever of the set our hands in presence of two subscribing starting switch with a lever of the main witnesses.

switch, and electric circuits and connections CHARLES B. PINKERTON. within the casing providing two terminals ALFRED E. WASON. 6 for connection to the main leads and three Witnesses:

terminals for connections to the motor leads. FRANK C. DOWNING, In testimony whereof we have hereunto WALTER J SKERTEN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for he cents each, by addressing the commissioner of ratenta.

Washington, D. G. 

